July 28th. Cloudy evening. James arrived back to St. Lithe orphanage on his carriage. As he stopped the horses, he got off the carriage and saw Theresa standing outside the sanctuary. As James walked towards Theresa with a couple of bags in his hands. As he set his bags down on the steps, Theresa walked to embrace James with a hug.
“Welcome back, James. How was your holiday?” Theresa asked as she helped to get one of his bags.
“It was okay. It’s beautiful up there. A lot of forest and waterfalls. I’m thinking about moving up there.” James replied.
As James and Theresa went inside, Delianna saw them through the bushes from afar. She eavesdropped on them the moment James arrived. She then decided to wait until James came out by himself.
~~
Inside the sanctuary, Theresa, and Deborah helped James put his belongings in the room that was reserved for him before he left.
“Is there anything else that you have on the carriage still?” Deborah asked.
“Just small things.” James replied. “I’ll bring them in myself. Also, where’s Father Nyris?”
“At the memorial pyre getting Harland’s ashes. The funeral for Harland was a couple hours ago. If you want, you can go and pay your respects at the pyre.” Deborah replied.
“Okay, but let’s finish this first.” James stated.
~~
As James went outside, he walked up to the carriage to get the last of his stuff. As he was getting the last of his stuff, he heard a rustle in the bushes. He looked to the area where he heard the rustling and saw Delianna emerge from the bushes with a smile on her face. Seeing her face made James smile back and walk to her and embraced her in a hug.
“Oh, Delianna. How I have missed you.” He spoke. “You know, we’ve got to stop meeting like this.”
Delianna chuckled.
“Yes, I know. How was your day?” She asked. “I haven’t seen you in a bit, but I did get your letter.”
“My day was fine. Sorry you haven’t seen me in a bit. The letter was to tell you I was in the Kianu region.”
“Really? What for?”
“I was up there with my family for a week.”
Delianna’s smile faded and she lets go of James. James was a little confused at her body language.
“Delianna. What’s the matter?” James asked.
“Nothing…” Delianna replied in a low tone holding her arm.
“Is it because I was gone for a while?”
“No… It’s not that.” Delianna replied in a low tone.
“Then what? Just so you know, you’re the only woman that I can’t read.”
Delianna puts her head down. James saw a red aura begin to form around her, she was getting angry.
“Delianna?” James called.
“It’s nice to know you have family and friends to fall on.” Delianna sneered.
“Does that… anger you or something? Are you jealous about that?”
Delianna did not respond and turned her head the other way.
“Come on, Delianna. There’s no need to be jealous about that. I’ve talked to Father Nyris about you. He doesn’t discriminate against vampires. When I went up north, I told my parents about you; they are more than willing to meet you the next time I go up there. If that’s what bothers you, then I’ll make sure you can meet them; they can also be your friends and family as well.” James explained.
“I… don’t… know… them.” Delianna stated sternly.
“You can get to know them as they get to know you.”
“I don’t… want to know them…” Delianna said angrily.
James was confused at her response and became annoyed with her sense of logic. he then noticed something due to her body language.
“Have you… dealt with some type of trauma, Delianna?” James asked.
Delianna’s head quickly looked up at James; her eyes glowed crimson red, her fangs exposed.
“What does that have to do with anything?!” Delianna snarled.
James backed up with his hands up when Delianna snapped at him.
“I’m just asking, Del… Your body is telling me that.” James replied calmly.
Delianna’s eyes stopped glowing and her fangs retracted back; her facial expression softened from anger to sadness.
“You’re right about the trauma, James.” She stated.
James lowered his hands after her response and decided to hold her hands softly.
“Then tell me. Just tell me. What happened to you?” He asked calmly.
Delianna took a deep breath and exhaled.
“Just know that I had an abusive parent, I’ve been assaulted by men, and I saw my only friend get killed. Even as a vampire, those memories haunt me to no end, and they will never stop playing. It’s always ongoing. Anyone that I meet, something bad happens to them.” She stated in a low tone.
James was saddened when he heard of Delianna’s experiences. He felt sympathetic for Delianna’s trauma. Delianna looked at him sternly.
“Don’t, James.” She said sternly.
“Don’t what?” James replied.
“I don’t need your sympathy. Listen… I don’t think we should see each other anymore…”
“What?... Why?” James asked bewildered.
“Since you now know my issues, I can’t be with you. Those memories are things that I can’t get over, especially as a vampire. They are my triggers. So, that’s why.”
James sighed at her statement but understood. Now knowing the reason why, she never wanted to come in the sanctuary; besides being what she was, it was the trauma she held.
“I understand… Will… will you be alright by yourself?” He asked.
“Yes. I will. You have a nice life. Okay?” Delianna asked.
James nodded.
“You too, Del.” He replied. “But let me tell you something.”
“What?”
“Your trauma doesn’t make you, Delianna. You have to learn how to rise above them. Because if you don’t, you’ll repeat cycle over and over again, hurting yourself and the ones close to you in the process.”
She let those words sink in as their hands let go of each other. Delianna then turned away from James and quickly sprinted into the woods. As she left, James felt a couple of tears fall down his face where he wiped them away, took the last of his stuff off the carriage, and went inside the orphanage.
~~~
After getting his stuff inside his room, James went to the memorial pyre that was behind the cathedral area of the building. He met up with Nyris and tapped him on his shoulder. Nyris turned and became elated when he saw James.
“Welcome back, my boy. How was your holiday with your family?” Nyris asked.
“It was great.” James replied. “My parent and I talked about the events that happened in the 22-year gap along with my aunt. We looked at the stars as my mother talked about the constellations. My father and I had a man to man talk. What I needed to do to be a better man; especially since I… was with Delianna.”
“Was?” Nyris asked bewildered.
“We’re… no longer together. I knew it was going to happen, because I didn’t know it would happen after the holiday.”
Nyris puts his hand on James’ shoulder.
“I’m sorry, son.” He consoled.
“No need to be, Father. It was mutual.” James replied.
James saw that Nyris held a pouch which he predicted was Harland’s ashes. Nyris gave James the pouch. James bowed his head on the pouch, closed his eyes and prayed silently. He then opened his eyes looking at the bag.
“Thank you for your generosity and hospitality, Harland. May you rest in peace with our maker.” He quietly said.
James then gave the pouch to Nyris.
“Did the king’s men find who killed Harland?” He asked.
“No, unfortunately. But they believe a vampire killed him. They’re still searching.” Nyris replied.
James then began to wonder still who would kill Harland. He and Nyris then walked back into the cathedral.
~~~
Nighttime. Rainy night. As James was getting ready for bed, he took out his tarot cards and put them on the table. He set five cards faced down. He turned the first card over.
“Of course, I’m going back to fortune telling for my clients.” James said.
He turned over the second card.
“Looks like I’ll be staying here until next April. I guess because I need to make and save money so I can leave which I’m in no hurry to do.”
He turned over the third card which made him uneasy.
“That’s… not good. Something bad will happen here?”
He turned over the fourth card which made his breathing uneasy.
“… What? No. What will happen to me?” He asked fearfully.
He slowly turned over the last card.
“I… have some opportunity and… a chance for revenge. Revenge for what? On whom?”
He felt a little panicked and took the cards off the table and set them back in his bag and went into his bed. He was trying not to think about what he just read about himself and tried to go to sleep, but he couldn’t. He knew if he tried to stop the fate that was set, something was bound to happen in a bad way. The only thing that he could do was wait and prepare for what would happen.
Comments (0)
See all